What type of hats do you use, particularly when you'll be going into cooler temps?

Have any of you used down hats? Any issues with wetting them out with sweat?

I just received this down beanie from Black Rock Gear.

When I first learned about this hat, I figured its principle use would be for hanging around camp or sleeping, but others mentioned hiking in it.

I sent an email to Black Rock Gear for some clarification on the hat's intended use and temperature range.

"Temp rating is very subjective and really depends on the person and activity. I would consider our beanies to be warmer than your standard heavy knit wool ski hat. So taking that as a starting point people will wear them in anything from sub zero temps up into the 50’s. I’ve had the hats used up on Everest and K2 along with people wearing them on summer and winter hikes of the PCT and AT. So really anywhere people wear a normal ski hat you’ll find people wearing ours.

I would personally consider them to be perfect in temps in the 20’s and 30’s, but that is just me.

I think you will find they are so warm for their weight that you’ll have to drop other layers when the hat goes on. I’ve had numerous customers tell me things like “my head didn’t know it went outside” when they wear their beanie. Or that it was so light and had such a good temperature range they wore the thing for their entire back country trip and it never left their head."

It is definitely a toasty beanie - good to wear down to the 20's and 30's, definitely. I've had to pop it off my head because I'm overheating when walking briskly in around-freezing temperatures.

I've never exercised in it to the point where it would wet out with sweat - but because I take it off before that happened! I have exercised in it where I was sweating a little bit, and it didn't get noticeably damp. It has a nice head band that helps with moisture management.

I love this thing, by the way. Featherweight, very warm. It keeps my noggin toasty when the top is off the Jeep and the outside temp is in the 40s and wind is blowing over my crown at 50/60 mph.

Oh, one more thing I forgot to add - I *love* the fact that it doesn't make my head itch! My thick wool beanie used to drive me nuts on that front. It is also great that it is easy to slide my sunglasses on under the hat, unlike the wool beanie that has my head in a firm, itchy grip and doesn't like to admit the ears of any glasses.

I’ve got one, and it’s hands down my favorite beanie. VERY light *and* very warm while compressing down to nearly nothing when packed away. They fit really well. They're expensive, but they're a quality piece of gear. Kinda ugly though.

I took mine on my JMT section hike last August. Night time lows were around 32 Fahrenheit. I slept with my beanie on in my 32 rated bag. I was fine. I think the beanie really helped. Cold head, and I don't sleep.

They're super nice to stick in a cargo pocket or windbreaker pocket. They take up hardly any room at all, and they're super nice if you have to stop or are coming back in the dark (when it tends to get cold).

63ChevyII wrote:A down beanie? That sounds pointless/like a waste of money.

Yeah, takes a little mental getting used to.

I picked one up because I wanted to shave weight. I've you've got the "big three" (shelter, sleep set up, and pack) down in terms of getting good lightweight gear, it then becomes a battle of ounces. If a typical backpacker can shave, on average, just two ounces of weight off of each item of gear, they would save ten pounds. Most people don't realize the essentiality of shaving ounces if one really wants to go light.

The thing that I found was that, yes, I did save weight, but I also found that a down hat had less bulk (i.e. packs smaller) and is warmer. A down hat is SUPER for summer hiking in the Sierra. During the day in the summer, I almost never need a beanie while hiking, but at night, I definitely want something. A down hat is really good for around camp and for sleeping in. At Tyndall Creek, it was down around 32F when I camped there on my JMT section hike, and I had a 32F bag. Having that down hat really made a difference; I slept comfortably.